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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the stadium as Forest fans celebrated a further win against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have occurred in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive win across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of Forest’s European Cup triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were additionally in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a tumultuous reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read one part of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second stunning tifo showed Brian Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort off target inside two minutes and established a two-goal advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected wide off Malmö back Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could withdraw the defender with the game already boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He talked about the club legends providing “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are able of producing of thrills, too.